Apparatus for severing cables



C. TOSSIZZA.

APPARATUS FOR SEVERING CABLES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 19I8.

1397,91 1 o Patented Nov. 22, 1921 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

0. TOSSIZZA. APPARATUS FOR SEVERING CABLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 9]8- 1,397,91 1 o Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- CONSTANTIN TOSSIZZA, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N (W. 22, 1921.

Application filed November 30, 1918. Serial No. 264,868.

I 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CONSTANTIN TOSSIZZA, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Severing Cables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for cutting, or shearing, cables, chains, bars and the like, and especially such as are situated in diflicultly accessible positions, such, for example, as under water.

According to this invention the power required for cutting, orshearing, is produced by the ignition of an explosive charge acting, through the medium of a piston, or the equivalent, upon the cutters, or knives, or one of them.

The details of construction of the apparatus may vary but the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawing, explains the best means with which I am acquainted for carrying my invention into effect.

Figure 1 is an external view of the shears, Figs. 2 and 3 are Vertical sections, at right angles to each other, Fig. at is a transverse section on the line X, X, Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line Y, Y, Fig. 2.

The body-part, or frame, a of the shears has the shape of a beak, the gap Z) in which engages with the rope, chain, bar, or the like, to be out. ()n one side of the gap 6 the bodypart, or frame, a, is provided with a stationary knife 0 and on the other side with a bored cylindrical cavity in which slides a piston e guided in its proper course by grooves f f and carrying, at its lower part, the movable knife 9 opposite the stationary knife 0.

The cylinder (5 is closed at the end opposite to the knives by a screwed part it closing a breech space is for containing the explosive charge. hen this charge is fired the gases due to the explosion force the piston 6 outward and the knife 9, on passing over the stationary knife 0, insures the severance of the rope, chain, rod, or the like, which is in the gap 6.

The firing is efiected by any suitable detonating means, that shown including a primer Z which acts on the explosive charge through the passage m. The firing mechanism is contained in the body-part, or frame, of the shears, and comprises a striker actu ated by a spring 1 which is normally kept under compression by a tongue q forming part of a stirrup o embracing part of the body-part. or frame, of the apparatus and protruding into the gap 6. When a rope, chain, rod, or the like, is sufficiently engaged with the said gap and exerts pressure on the stirrup o, the tongue (1 is moved from engagement with the striker p, and percussion takes place. Any suitable device, such as a spring 02, may be used, if desired, to adjust the minimum pressure of the rope, chain, bar, or the like, capable of causing the explosion.

It will be obvious that the apparatus can be modified in its details according to its desired applications, either on land, or under water, the body-part, or frame, of the shears being secured to any suitable support. For under water application, the closure at it must be watertight.

The firing of the cartridge can be effected in any desired manner, for example, electrically, or by releasing a striker by operation from a distance by means of a cord.

Nhen I speak in my claims of cables, I also mean to include bars, ropes, chains and the like.

lVhat I claim is:

1. An apparatus for severing cables or the like, consisting of a portable self-contained explosion-operated shear adapted to receive the cable between shear blades, and having means for instituting the explosion by which to operate the shear.

2. An apparatus for severing cables or the like, consisting of a portable self-contained explosion-operated shear adapted to receive the cable between shear blades, and having means normally projecting between the shear blades and adapted to be displaced by the entrance of the cable into shearing position.

3. An apparatus for severing cables or the like, comprising a frame, a severing means connected thereto and comprising knivesadapted to receive the cable between them, a chamber carried by said frame, a movable part responding to QXPlOSi" pressure in said chamber, and detonating means having a control part in position to be displaced by the entrance of the cable fully between said knives, whereby the cutting is performed automatically on the cable reaching the position for cutting.

44. An apparatus for severing cables or the like, comprising a frame formed with a gap for receiving the cable to be cut, a portion on one side of said gap carrying a cutting blade, a portion 011 the other side of said gap formed with a cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder, a movable blade cooperating with said fixed blade and carried by said piston, a chamber for receiving an explosive cartridge communicating withsaid cylinder, a detonating hammer adapted when released to explode such cartridge, and restraining means therefor adapted when displaced to release the hammer.

5. In an apparatus for severing cables, the

combination of severing means, means to operate the severing means comprising a cylinder in which an explosive charge is adapted to be fired, firing means for setting off the explosive charge, means for operating said firing means actuated by contact with the cable to be severed and means to regulate the operation of the means for operating the firing means.

6. An apparatus for severing cables or the like, comprising a frame formed with a gap for receiving the cable, a portion on one side of said gap carrying a fixed cutting blade, and a portion on the other side of said gap formed with a cylinder, and a cartridge chamber communicating with said cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a movable blade connected to said piston and cooperating with said fixed blade, a spring-pressed hammer for exploding a cartridge, and aimovable part carried by said frame normally projecting into such gap and having a portion normally restraining said hammer, adapted, when displaced by the entrance of the cable into such gap, to release the hammer and cause the explosion of the cartridge. 7. An apparatusgforsevering cables or the like, being a port-ab vei-self-contained explosion-operated shear having means engaged by the entrance of the cable into shearing position for instituting the explosion.

8. An apparatus for severing cables or the like, being a portable self-contained device comprising a frame formed with an explosion chamber and carrying a fixed shear blade, a piston movable in said chamberfa movable Shear blade operated by said piston, detonating means for causing an explosion in said chamber, and means engaged by the entrance of the cable into shearing position for operating such detonating means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CON STANTIN TOSSIZZA. Witnesses:

G. DURAND, PAT A. MILLER. 

